Historic Preservation Links

Government Hill

Government Hill is one of six San Antonio suburbs that
developed during the "Gilded Age" of the city’s history, from
1890 to 1930. The other opulent suburbs of this era are Monte
Vista, Alamo Heights, West End (Woodlawn Lake area), Tobin Hill,
and Laurel Heights. Each neighborhood features fine examples of
turn-of-the-century architecture. The Government Hill Historic
District is located immediately south of Fort Sam Houston and is
bounded by E. Grayson Street to the north, N. New Braunfels
Avenue to the east, IH-35 to the south, and Willow Street to the
west. The turn-of-the-century one and two-story commercial
structures along North New Braunfels Avenue effectively served
as the area's main street.

The history of the Government Hill is integrally linked to that
of Fort Sam Houston. Initial development of the fort began in
the mid 1870s with a donation by the City of San Antonio of 93
acres to the War Department. Construction of Fort Sam Houston
began in 1876, and by the late nineteenth century the
surrounding area of Government Hill was home to over 12,000
people. The area grew at a prolific rate during the World War I
era, and by 1918 Fort Sam Houston included 193 acres.

During and after World War II, residential development began to
decline, and rapid growth of the commercial sector forced
conversion of many architecturally significant single-family
homes to multifamily housing. In the early 1950s, the area was
split geographically by the construction of Interstate Highway
35, leading to further residential decline. Despite these
impacts, today’s Government Hill neighborhood remains a unique
and vibrant community with a diverse mix of architectural styles
and building types.

The Gothic Revival-style St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
at 1018 E. Grayson was built in 1883 specifically to serve the
military families in the Fort Sam area. The Bullis
House Inn at 621 Pierce Street was constructed between
1909 and 1911 as the home of General John Lapham Bullis.
The Classical Revival-style residence now serves as a Bed and
Breakfast. The Romanesque Revival-style Terrell
Castle or Lambermont as it was originally called, at
950 E. Grayson, was built in 1894 by noted San Antonio architect
Alfred Giles for Edwin Terrell. It also serves as a Bed and
Breakfast. A residential structure at 609 E. Carson Street
originally served as the Faculty House for West Texas Military
Academy. The academy, from which today’s Texas Military
Institute evolved, was constructed in 1893 and included young
Douglas MacArthur among its first class members.